Friday, 25 September 2015

The mural is the largest of 50 paintings by Australian street artists, part of the "50 bridges" initiative launched in May to celebrate SG50, as well as to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Australia.By Nadia Jansen Hassan and Kenneth Lim, Channel NewsAsia, 23 Sep 2015Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, who is in Singapore for a four-day state visit, applied the finishing touches to a mural in Clementi West on Wednesday (Sep 23).It is the largest of 50 paintings by Australian street artists, part of the "50 bridges" initiative launched in May to celebrate SG50, as well as to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Australia.

CNA news report 23 Sept 2015
Channel NewsAsia Singapore report on Day 3 of Australian Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove's state visit to Singapore. Watch the video to find out more about our last SG50 gift to Singapore - an awesome street art by artist Matt Adnate on an entire HDB block in Clementi - the grand finale to our '50 Bridges' art and community engagement program #sg50oz
Posted by Australia in Singapore on Wednesday, September 23, 2015

“It's pretty significant to me,” said Melbourne artist Matt Adnate, who painted the mural as high as an HDB block. “You know, painting in Singapore, it's a pretty amazing country, it's a very famous country as well, so to have a massive wall like this in such a renowned city, I'm definitely pretty lucky.”

Mr Cosgrove said: "I am so delighted to represent Australia, especially at this symbol of our great congratulations on the 50th anniversary of Singapore's establishment, or as a country, its independence. At every hand, we've been greeted wonderfully, warmly, from the President, through the Prime Minister, to the ordinary folk of Singapore, we've been made to feel welcome.

"Australia and Singapore are forming a wonderful partnership in the region. I congratulate Matt Adnate, the artist, whose work symbolises Australia's regard for the people of Singapore, and we congratulate him and thank the people of Singapore for receiving this gift of art."

Minister in the Prime Minister's Office S Iswaran, who accompanied Mr Cosgrove, said the Governor-General's visit was a special experience for Clementi residents. He also said the "50 bridges" initiative helped enliven the HDB landscape.

Said Mr Iswaran: “As the Governor-General has mentioned, it's a close relationship bilaterally and also in various international fora. And I think this particular initiative, which brings a bit of Australia into the heartlands of Singapore, will go a long way towards deepening the close people-to-people ties between our two countries.”Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Cosgrove went to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where an orchid was named after him and his wife. The hybrid Dendrobium Peter Lynne Cosgrove had been created specifically for them. Mr Cosgrove also took a look at the brick steps made by Australian prisoners of war during the Japanese Occupation.Mr Cosgrove will leave Singapore on Thursday.

Australian leader meets PM LeeThey discuss strategic partnership and global, regional developments
By Idayu Suparto, The Straits Times, 23 Sep 2015Visiting Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana yesterday, during which the two leaders reaffirmed the excellent bilateral ties between their countries.Sir Peter, who arrived on Monday for a four-day state visit, and Mr Lee also discussed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) agreement, which was signed by the two countries in June, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.The CSP is a broad-ranging agreement to boost cooperation across multiple fields, including economics and trade, defence and security, foreign affairs and at the people- to-people level.

At the meeting, Sir Peter expressed his appreciation for Singapore's support for the New Colombo Plan, which was launched in 2013 and which offers Australian undergraduates scholarships and grants to study in Asian countries, including Singapore.

The two leaders discussed global and regional developments, including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria militant group.

Sir Peter's visit comes as Singapore and Australia celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Sir Peter's day began at the Kranji War Cemetery, where he attended a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate Australians who died in the line of duty during World War II.

Australian Governor -General Sir Peter Cosgrove and his wife visited the four koalas on loan at the Singapore Zoo. str.sg/ZBuL
Posted by The Straits Times on Monday, September 21, 2015

Accompanied by his wife Lynne and children from the Avondale Grammar School in Singapore, he later visited the four koalas on loan from Australia at the Singapore Zoo. The female marsupials arrived here in April as part of celebrations to mark bilateral ties.Yesterday evening, Sir Peter graced an alumni homecoming event for Singaporean graduates of Australian universities hosted by Australian Alumni Singapore (AAS) and the Australian High Commission.

The event celebrates the return of Singaporean graduates from 28 Australian universities and connects them with public and private sector employers and stakeholders across 12 industries, the AAS and the Australian High Commission said in a statement. To date, more than 130,000 Singaporeans have attained an Australian qualification, the statement added.

Today, the Governor-General and his wife will visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where an orchid hybrid will be named after them.

There, they will also view a flight of stairs that was built by Australian prisoners of war during the Japanese Occupation.

Sir Peter had on Monday paid a courtesy call on President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Istana. Dr Tan then hosted a state banquet in honour of the Governor-General.

Aussie Governor-General's visit 'taking place at a significant time'
By Idayu Suparto, The Straits Times, 22 Sep 2015Singapore and Australia share longstanding ties underscored by mutual trust and cooperation in diverse areas such as politics, economy, defence, education, and at the people-to-people level, President Tony Tan Keng Yam said yesterday.Speaking at an Istana state banquet held in honour of Australia's Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and his wife, Dr Tan noted that Sir Peter's visit was taking place at a significant time when Singapore and Australia are marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.Dr Tan noted that Australia was the first country to establish diplomatic ties with Singapore and the partnership between the two countries had grown in the past 50 years.

Ties have also been elevated this year by the signing of the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in June.

The CSP is a broad-ranging agreement to boost cooperation across multiple fields, including economics and trade, defence and security, foreign affairs and at the people-to-people level.

"The partnership between Singapore and Australia is a special one built on longstanding ties and mutual trust, and I am confident that our cooperation will continue to strengthen in the years ahead," said Dr Tan.

He added that Singapore and Australia had already begun implementing some aspects of the agreement as he highlighted an initiative undertaken by the two sides that would allow Australian passport holders to skip long immigration queues and instead use automated clearance gates at Singapore's land, sea and air checkpoints.

Under the initiative, eligible holders of Australian passports would be able to enrol, from next month, with the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to use the automated passport clearance gates.

Australia has already extended a similar service to Singaporean holders of biometric passports entering the country.

In his speech at the banquet, Sir Peter, who arrived yesterday for his state visit, also praised the role of the CSP agreement in fostering closer ties between both countries.

The agreement, he said, "will strengthen our ongoing interests across the board in trade, investment, foreign policy, defence and security".

"The CSP demonstrates the goodwill that exists between both our nations and shares our resolve to take our relationship to the next level," he said.

"We've always been close but in a sense we are becoming more than friends, we are becoming family," he added.

Dr Tan also thanked Australia for its efforts to commemorate SG50 and the 50th anniversary of the Singapore-Australia diplomatic ties through its various gifts and programmes, including the six-month loan of four koalas to the Singapore Zoo, as well as programmes held in Singapore's heartland areas.

"These gestures of friendship have touched the hearts, minds and stomachs of Singaporeans young and old," said the President.

Ahead of the banquet, Sir Peter was given an official welcome at the Istana. He later called on Dr Tan. During their meeting, both heads of state reaffirmed the excellent ties between Singapore and Australia and discussed bilateral cooperation in various areas such as education, military and counter-terrorism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement yesterday.

The Governor-General's four-day visit continues today, when he will meet Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana.